Twas the Year Before On Christmas
by JustCharles
Summary: A Companion Story Collection set in the Universe of "P4: I Don't Belong Here." December 24, 2010. In Utah...In Inaba...In Las Vegas...Teenagers (and a Bear) destined to be friends could not be any more alone and wish for happiness for Christmas. But some should have warned them of the old adage: "Be careful what you wish for..."
1. Act 1: Blue Christmas 1

**A/N: Happy Holidays, Everyone. As promised. Here is the Christmas Story I promised to you all. Although I had started off with the idea of a One-shot story...I got some many ideas flooding through my head, I had to take off my cap and noticed it wasn't a Santa Hat, it was an Ari Moriarty Hat*. So instead I decided instead of giving you the long one-shot...I'd do a collection of stories under a unifying theme.**

**That being said, I hope you enjoy this collection and just to warn you. This will go a little slow at the start and become very dark as time goes on...But with Darkness, there is light...And Christmas stories are supposed to be uplifting...**

**That said, Because this is a late Christmas gift, I will Double Post tonight, update Chapter 3 Tomorrow with my main fic "I Don't Belong Here." Then update every other day. **

**Thanks to DualSelf, My beta, for assisting me on this work.**

**Disclaimer: I own Daniel, Rebecca and Charles Waldo, Siobhan Murphy, Elizabeth Yamata, and the Freakin' Easter Bunny. magmon1000 owns William, Daniel, and James Bond Sykes.**

***Copyright and TM Ari Moriarty****

****No, not really.**

"'**Twas the Year Before, On Christmas"  
>Act 1-Blue Christmas<br>Chapter 1**

_Scott M. Matheson Courthouse, Salt Lake City, Utah_

"Next case," Judge Wilhelmina Brant said.

"State v. Waldo, Charles Thomas. 4 counts of Assaulting a Law Enforcement Officer; Illegal Possession of a Deadly Weapon; Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Robbery," The Bailiff said.

"What happened to the good old days of just going to the mall for Christmas Gifts?" The Judge said. "How does the Defendant Plead?"

"Definitely Not Guilty!" Charles said. "I wish to…"

"Son…do yourself a favor…Limit yourself to one word answers…Ms. Jenkins, where are The People on Bail?"

"Your Honor…Due to the circumstances involved…The possession of these illegal sais…" Carmela Jenkins, the prosecutor said.

"Sai…" Charles corrected. The judge glowered at him. "With all due respect, Your Honor…that was a one word answer. Sai is used for both the singular and the plural…"

"So's 'Be quiet'…" The judge said, already bored.

"…The People request $2 Million bail," Ms. Jenkins said.

"Mr. Shepard?" The judge said, referring to Charles's Public Defender.

"Your Honor, we seek immediate dismissal as Ms. Jenkins is still REFUSING to acknowledge the fact that my client has Immunity through Diplomatic…"

"Until the State Department decides to verify that what Mr. Waldo signed was legal, he gets to be tried."

"That's another thing, Your Honor…My client is a juvenile and should be remanded to that court…" Shepard said.

"Mr. Shepard…I've read his Juvenile file…quite frankly…he reeks of escalation…Plus this…'Immunity Deal…'" She sighed. "Until this gets worked out between you, The People, and the State Department…I can't grant ROR…"

"Your Honor…It's Christmas…" Shepard said.

Judge Brant looked at Shepard. "Defendant stays in Adult Court and Bail is set at $750,000 cash or bond…Merry Christmas…" She said blandly.

"Well, thanks for trying…" Charles said bitterly.

"Look, Kid…you didn't do yourself any favors…We probably would have gotten a lower bail or you released on your own recognizance if you'd kept your mouth shut. As it is…"

Charles smoldered for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was as quiet as the grave. "I still see my best friend being shot…I can't close my eyes to sleep because of it…The police have acted like I am a criminal…Me…when they should have realized their undercover was starting to go a little off the rails. So Mr. Shepard…I would thank you for the job you did…and wish you a very Merry Christmas…but even Harvey Birdman would have done better…"

Shepard looked at Charles as he was taken away by the correctional officers. His parents weren't there…They spoke to him earlier in the day and said they were upset with him and if he had been ROR then he wasn't going to spend Christmas with them.

The correctional officers took him through the hallway to the car that was going to take him back to his jail. Then they took him to the Jail Facility he was going to stay on behalf of the State. Since his parents couldn't afford that high a bail.

He said nothing as he was taken out of the car and escorted to his cell. The insults and/or invites to dates or other types of liaisons were hurled at him…and still…he said nothing.

Finally, the handcuffs were removed and as he was led in, he said sincerely. "Thank you…" to the correctional officers.

They said nothing.

When the door shut, he said sincerely, "Merry Christmas…"

They just stared at him. He might as well have told them what they could go do with themselves…

They left. Charles went to his cot and sat down.

He started sobbing.

He had held in all his pain and suffering and loneliness and what guilt he could until getting back here. He was so ashamed. He had let his parents down. He had gotten Siobhan hurt. He…

"Why, God? Why?" He asked.

Now it was Christmas…

But he had no one to celebrate it with… His parents were angry at him. His friend was in the hospital. Trevor and Corrine were in California for the Holidays…

Charles was alone. He had nobody…

"Nobody wants me…"

…

"Why…?" He asked.

He wished he could get out and be with a girl who would love him or at least be with his family.

But that wouldn't happen. No girl would want him. No family would ever care for him.

Charles just curled up into a ball…and felt like an ugly, hideous thing…

_Maybe…_ He thought. _Maybe I did something wrong…and I don't deserve Christmas…_

…

_All I wanted for Christmas… was to be happy. _His eyes then shut…exhaustion finally taking him.

_Amagi Inn_

"No! I'm not interested in a boyfriend!" Amagi Yukiko said. She was at the Inn when a couple of waitresses who weren't that much older than her started talking about their boyfriends…and more importantly what their boyfriends would do with them starting at 21:00.

But then Yukiko walked by and they mentioned about how Yukiko could use a boyfriend. They were whispering, of course, but they were a little too loud and Yukiko bristled and snapped that last at them.

"Yuki-chan?" Mariko, her mother had said. "What seems to be the matter?" The waitresses beat a hasty retreat.

"Nothing, Mom…" Yukiko said, unconvincingly.

"Ahh, I see…You seem to be envious of the waitresses who have boyfriends…"

"I'm not envious, Mother…" Yukiko said. Adopting a formal tongue when she was really annoyed but wanted to show her Mom respect.

"I see…Then perhaps you should go be with Chie-chan…Have a sleepover… Instead of being lonely here at the parties…"

"You're saying I'll get in the way…" Yukiko was wearing her pink floral Kimono, as she did when she helped out at the Amagi Inn, but her Mother had indicated that Yukiko should enjoy herself…

"Your Mother is not saying that at all…" Hikaru, her father said. He, like Mariko and Yukiko, was dressed in a Kimono, since it was supposed to be an important time of year. "If you choose not to have a boyfriend, then that is fine…but you should at least get out…Christmas is the one holiday where your services are welcome…but not required…"

She just looked at her parents. "Chie's waiting for Daitaka-senpai at her house…Since this is supposed to be the hottest Date Night of all Date Nights…"

"Well, I give up…Chie-chan will never become a lady…" Mariko said, mostly tongue-in-cheek as Chie was not Mariko's daughter. She only wanted Chie to not be a bad influence on Yukiko. "Ohh…I see… you're envious of Chie-chan, aren't you…?"

Yukiko looked at Mariko with narrowed eyes and then said stiffly, "I shall thank you not to analyze me, Mother…" and then walked off to her room.

"Well, too bad," Hikaru said. "She'll miss the parties…"

"I've already asked Kasai to save her some food. If I hadn't said anything, it would have been someone else…"

"Why doesn't she want a boyfriend?" Hikaru asked.

"Would you if all the boys…" Mariko started to say.

"And from what Chie-chan has said, a few girls…" Hikaru interjected.

"…were chasing you due to trying to fulfill their baser needs or are interested in you just because you're an Amagi?"

"I only married into the Amagi family…And if I remember correctly, I was the one being chased…"

"You were so shy…not like…HIM," Mariko said.

Hikaru sadly chuckled. "Do you think Yuki-chan will ever find a boy for herself…I'd really hate to arrange her to some spoiled snot-nosed rich kid…"

"Karu-chan…She's looking…she just doesn't know it consciously…but she's looking for the one boy who would treat her as an equal. A prince…"

"Just as long as he doesn't whisk her away to some dangerous place in America. The news was talking about some boy being arrested for something involving martial arts and weapons…"

"That sounds awful…Did they…?"

"No, they didn't say his name…I swear to you, Mari-chan…It would have to be a deep misunderstanding before I were to let a boy like him pursue our Yuki-chan…"

"Maybe that would be his Christmas gift…complete redemption…" She said as a sad joke.

The two of them went back to the party.

Yukiko was in her room. She was reading the international news on her cell phone.

_A boy like this…whoever it is…he's not a prince. He wouldn't protect me. He would have no respect, no love for me. I don't want a boy like him. He's like all the rest¸_ she thought.

Then she thought, _Whatever happened to that boy Chie wrote to?_

Yukiko was brushing her hair before bed, it having grown considerably in the last year.

_Chie says she likes my hair longer. She says it would make any boy fall for me. I don't want any boy…_

Yukiko took off her Yukata and got into her futon in her T-shirt and boxers.

_I want a prince…I thought Chie was my prince…_

_But even my parents can't give me that for Christmas…_

Sleep claimed Yukiko.


	2. Act 1: Blue Christmas 2

"'**Twas the Year Before, On Christmas"  
>Act 1-Blue Christmas<br>Chapter 2**

_Satonaka Residence_

"What am I doing here?" Hanamura Yosuke said out loud to himself. "I should have been more proactive in asking Saki-senpai out. Why am I going to Chie's house instead…?"

Yosuke knew the answer to that question…

…

Part of him was still in love with Satonaka Chie.

Oh sure, he wrote her off with Daitaka Nobuhide. Their Senpai that she had a crush on…Okay it was much deeper than that.

But he hadn't wanted to let Chie go. They were "Friends Forever."

They had lived next door to each other in the decade before. But then she moved away…well from him, she had only moved to this side of town…which happened to be close to the side of town Yosuke lived on.

He had thought he had done something to make her father angry and so was avoiding her house like the plague. But he had overheard her saying her parents weren't going to be home because her Mom and Dad were going to some function for his company and would not be back until the afternoon of the next day.

Yosuke wasn't trying to plan anything untoward…but rather…he was going to tell Chie the truth.

He remembered who she was and wanted to apologize.

He knew though that would make things hard for her. But this was his plan. To let her know that it was a mistake that he pretended that he was a different Hanamura Yosuke than from childhood. To ask for her forgiveness.

He felt the truth was the best gift he could give her.

…

And if that didn't work then this T-bone steak he got for her would do.

He rang the doorbell.

The door opened and he winced, knowing that her dog was going to spring on him.

Instead he had felt something small, yet compact and strong tackle him…

…

And kiss him…

And then Chie opened her eyes and said, "YOSUKE!"

"Ch-Chie?"

"Get away…Nobu-chan's coming and I'm going to give him his gift!"

"His gift?!" Yosuke said. Then he noticed that she was wearing a skimpy negligee. "Oh shit! I'm sorry, Chie…" He replied as he looked away.

"Duh! Now what was it you wanted?!"

"Uhh…meat…for Christmas."

She kicked him in the shin.

"NOT THAT! The steak on the ground there…"

"?" She noticed it was wrapped up still. "Oh, Yosuke! But wait…why would...?"

"Well, because…" He started to say, willing to tell her.

She shook her head. "Never mind…Nobu-chan will be here and if he sees you, he'll kick your ass, now go Yosuke…"

"But Chie…" Yosuke said.

She walked in her house quickly. "GO!" And then, she slammed the door.

"… I still love you…" He said weakly.

He felt humiliated. For some reason he was going to say that. He never planned on it. He was only going to be just friends with her.

But old feelings die hard in Hanamura Yosuke.

So he walked home and tried shrugging off the cold. He could do that with the cold outside.

…

But he couldn't in his heart.

Chie waited for Nobuhide. It had been before 21:00 when Yosuke showed up. She had it planned. She invited him over for a Christmas date to make up for the fact that they couldn't go out together on Christmas, because her Dad's thing was last minute. Muku…No… Kenta… was downstairs in his room sleeping, but the door was open if he wanted to come up. Chie sighed about the recent name change…but Chie and Yukiko had had an argument that had led to some cross words… Then it turned out for some reason Yukiko was more annoyed about Nobu-chan… Chie wondered what it was.

But soon it became 22:30. And it became obvious Nobu-chan wasn't coming… He had mentioned his Dad may not have been keen on the idea of them alone together and probably didn't want Nobuhide to even call, because of fear that the two would argue. That had to be it.

_Lover's Palace, Okina City_

Daitaka Nobuhide was enjoying his hookup with his old girlfriend from Nara…

_Hanamura Residence_

Yosuke came home after talking with his parents about random stuff, went upstairs and got ready for bed. HE looked at the internet on his phone.

"Geez…what a loser… Planning to knock over a place with sai…in America… Baka…"

He didn't have any information on the person's name. The police still weren't releasing it quite yet in the States.

"I wish I could have a friend that listened all the time…two really…But I don't think I could trust a guy like this…some idiot wanting to get his kicks…"

…

"Mostly…I wish I could be with Chie again…" Yosuke said.

He went to sleep…He knew he had to move on…if nothing else…for Chie's sake.

_Satonaka Residence_

"Why, Yosuke?" She said, looking at the picture in her hands that they drew in 2002. The one with them playing with hearts and the sun smiling as it was shining down on them, and large letters that said, _**"Friends Forever."**_ "Why did you forget about this? Why did you forget about US…?"

Chie wasn't fooled. At least not after a week. She was suspicious of Yosuke but couldn't manage to get him to confess he was her former love and next-door neighbor.

_Could it be that when he saw me with Nobu-chan when the Trimester started…He was actually making a sacrifice…? This…the same Yosuke who not only tried to pick up Yukiko just moments later…but other girls as well?_

_..._

_Though it was funny when even the town bicycle Ebihara turned him down…_

Chie looked at the TV. There was some story about some American involved in some plan for a heist.

_I bet I would have kicked that guy's ass…The one they're talking about with the sai…obviously he sounds like the second-in-command, especially when he fought off those cops._

…

_Hell, I can't even get a friend to fight for me… Even die for me…just because he's my friend…_

…

_There WAS Yukiko…but she seems a little unhappy lately…I wonder if it was our argument. But still, she should be happy. She'll inherit the Inn._

…

_Yeah…she'll inherit the Inn and all I'll be left with is myself._

…

_Yukiko's leaving me behind…_

…

_Just like Yosuke…_

Chie went to sleep. She had Nobu-chan now…she would survive…

_Sykes Residence, Las Vegas_

"So when is your big sodding match?" James Bond Sykes asked his older brother, Daniel.

"Tomorrow…at 7:00 PM. At Caesar's Palace…" Daniel said, with a sigh.

"Will there be topless ring girls?" James asked.

"No…" Daniel said.

"Then pass…" James said.

Daniel sighed. He could fight Salvador Benitez in a big MMA match…but he couldn't motivate his brother to show up. "James…Haven't you sodding heard? This is a rematch. The stars have aligned. He wants payback, and I want to show that my last win against him wasn't a fluke…"

"Why don't you just kick his arse in the first 90 seconds then we can go look for some girls…"

"James…you're not legal here to do that…In fact you're not legal for much of anywhere here in Vegas…"

"Aye…not even your bloody fight…so why…?"

"James…Salvador insisted on that for anyone outside of yourself because a crazed fan tried to…well…I don't know what…I wanted you to see the rematch…you weren't in much of a mood to watch the video of last time…"

"Aye…because our parents were dead and you…"

"James…the Time Difference. By the time I found out it was after I beat Benitez the first time. James, why are you pissed?"

"Because just thinking you having this rematch…just shows you didn't care about what happened to Mum and Dad…"

"James…I did care…I flew out immediately…"

"36 hours from when you're told is not immediate! You had to continue with your smashmouth…"

"Momentum, James…"

"MOMENTUM?! That's what you cared about….Was momentum…Unbelievable…Did you lose the sense of family…?"

Daniel looked annoyed. "Look, I didn't invite you to lecture me…I wanted to make up for what happened."

"Aye…Meanwhile…you let your argument with Mum get in the way of not coming out sooner…Momentum…Shite, you're a bloody stupid arsehole… You've forgotten what it means to be a Sykes!" James said.

And then he walked off to his guest room and slammed the door.

"Momentum…I'm surprised momentum hasn't gotten him bloody…kill…"

Then James became upset and started crying…But only for 7 seconds. Then he steeled himself. He was a Sykes after all. And Englishmen do not cry. They keep a stiff upper lip…

Still James turned on the TV and lay down on the bed.

"And while the Salt Lake City Police Department has not released the name of the Suspect, word has come down that he is a 16-year-old boy, and will be tried as an adult…"

"Bloody Sod…My cousin wouldn't be as stupid as this pillock was…trying to knock over banks and liquor stores and such…" James said. "Chuck is smarter than…than this waste… or the waste of breath out there."

James frowned. He probably was being unfair to Daniel. After all, news WAS sketchy from Yorkshire to Vegas. All Daniel knew was that their home had been on fire, and varying reports of who was in there and that there were even reports that the family was completely safe. So Daniel probably…given his argument with Mum…probably felt it wasn't his concern…

That of course changed as time went on and even though Daniel had found out the truth, Daniel was stuck keeping commitments most people could have turned down but not easily so. But for him not to try…

"Daniel still could have dropped everything and came back home…but maybe he was worried how Mum would have reacted. It's too bad he never found out…"

…

"Especially since she was willing… to... for-for- gi…"

James sobbed again. He missed his parents so much. Stiff upper lip doesn't help when you miss your family very much.

Besides…James was above the cliché…

He was, however, not above to letting sleep claim him…

But as it did so, he was left with one thought…

…

_I wish I could see Mum and Dad again._


	3. Act 1: Blue Christmas 3

"'**Twas the Year Before, On Christmas"  
>Act 1-Blue Christmas<br>Chapter 3**

_Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan_

**_Change yourself, don't leave this in God's hands_**

**_Just find out that I have always_**_**  
><strong>_**_Been able to your sad voice_**

**_Shout friends, how you truly feel_**_**  
><strong>_**_So it echoes to the ends of the Earth_**_**  
><strong>_**_Dream Bells, the sound of our bells_**_**  
><strong>_**_Shines Peacefully tomorrow – True Story!_**

"Risette! Risette! Risette!" The crowd chanted as the singer left the stage after her encore.

"Geez! The crowd loves me!" Risette, aka Kujikawa Rise said as she walked into her dressing room and ran her hands through the part of hair not tied into her twintails. It was a cheer that Rise didn't entirely feel…but she did get a slight rush from being an idol.

"That was great, Rise-chan!" her manager, Inoue-san said, coming into her dressing room. "I think things will go well tomorrow for the afternoon show…"

Rise nodded absently and then realized. "Wait! What afternoon show?!"

"Rise…I've told you 3 times this week about it. 'You Only Love Twice' is having a one-day showing on New Year's. Having you do selections from the soundtrack would…"

"I'm…I'm sorry…I haven't had much sleep so you might as well have told he the moon was going to destroy the earth or something like that…"

"Rise…I know you haven't had much rest but the movie opens in the spring…a limited engagement…"

"I understand, Inoue-san…but my parents are expecting me home tomorrow…No ifs, ands, or buts…"

"Rise…I know your family is from here…but you can't ditch this… It's sold out…"

Rise sat in her chair… "Could you…could you give me 5 minutes, please?"

Inoue-san nodded.

5 minutes later, Rise poked her head out. "My parents have agreed to postpone dinner…" She said with a smile.

Inoue looked at her as if he didn't believe her. But just nodded and said, "All right…I'll give you 20 minutes to change and then we have the autograph and handshake session…"

"Of course," She said. Her smile warmer than it was a few seconds before.

Rise shut her door.

And then the smile faded to tears. Her parents had felt insulted that she would do this. She tried to explain things, but they didn't see it that way. She did concede they were right that she should have paid better attention to Inoue-san…even though she'd been exhausted a little…But they didn't have to forbid her from Christmas…

_Not like that guy in America I read about briefly before I went on. I hate creeps like that. Just want to show off how much of a guy they are. I'd rather have a guy be a friend and stick up for me. That would be nice,_ she thought.

She always tried to live up to their expectation…but failed…

Maybe she'd go to Inaba where her grandmother was for Christmas.

But then as she tried to recover from her sobbing. Her eyes felt heavy.

_Inoue-san won't mind at 10-minute power nap…_

…

_Sometimes I miss the old days when I wasn't an Idol and my parents weren't stiffs._

…

_I wish…_

…

_I wish I could see Grampa again…_

…

_I miss…_

…

Sleep claimed Rise.

_Narukami Residence_

Narukami Yu was alone on Christmas. This was not new. He had been alone on Christmas for the last 4 years as his parents tried to make sure things didn't fall apart at the Narukami Concern on Christmas Day.

He could have called any one of his girlfriends for a Christmas date. But they each had plans with their families and he kind of got the sense that each of them were annoyed that he hadn't gotten it in gear. In fact, they had mentioned several times if it had been him and all 3 of them, thing would have been fine.

So instead, Yu sat at home alone. He didn't have very many friends in town. He had a few, but while he was popular…he wasn't getting too close to any of them… Mainly because he had this feeling he would be moving again. His parents were talking another extended business trip. But the hushed whispers that occurred after the subject was broached probably meant Yu wasn't going to be with them as much.

Yu heard the phone ring and so he answered it, "Moshi moshi…"

"Yu…it's Mom…I'm sorry…People are still panicking here about a packet error that's very hard to pin down. Even your Dad is having a hard time. I'm sorry, but we're gonna be early evening…at best…" Yu's mother said.

Yu clenched his jaw. He had hoped that his parents would at least have been able to settle things enough for the employees to resolve…apparently that wasn't the case. "I see…." He said neutrally.

"Yu, I know you feel if it isn't one thing, it's another…but I promise you we will make it up to you tomorrow night…"

"It can't be helped, Mom…" He said. Though his heart felt a little down.

"But it should…I'm sorry…Dammit, I'm on my way!" The last was to someone in the background. "I have to go Yu…I love you…" She said.

"I lo-" But all Yu received in response was the click on the other end. "…" He said.

He decided to watch the news. There was something from America about a boy Yu's age being arrested for possessing sai and planning a string of robberies.

"What makes a person do that? Be stupid…? Was he left at home alone and his parents didn't love him? My parents love me. I just wish they were here more."

Yu soon became perturbed at the news. As he turned off the TV, he muttered. "At least Portland wasn't THAT bad. I'd never become a friend or confidant to someone who wants to throw their life away."

As Yu lay down. His eyes misted up…But tears did not form.

_I wish I had a "partner-in-crime", figuratively speaking. The kind of friend I'd go to the wall for. And maybe a brother too._

…

_But Mom and Dad don't have time to have more kids now._

…

_Plus…would they want to after…?_

…

_After…_

…

Tears formed in Yu's eyes.

_I miss Aneko…_

Sleep eventually claimed Yu.

_Kirijo Tower, Tatsumi Port Island_

"I thought I would find you here," Kirijo Mitsuru said.

"Of course you would," The girl who derisively snorted said. "You checked everywhere else and this was last on the list."

Mitsuru sighed. Her friend-with-benefits had been like this for the last 3 days. "Mina…please…come down. Everyone wants to see you…"

Arisato Minako snorted again. "Aki and Yukari don't…Not really. They'll just be squirming. Shinji was the smart one. Going off to some country ryokan to cook. He learned a 3 year course in 7 months. How could he not be smart…?"

Mitsuru sighed again. Aragaki Shinjiro had been a gruff individual…but the gruffness did cover his surprising intellect and not-so-surprising tenderness. Shinjiro was able to complete that course mainly because he was already at a level past most other entering students.

But he and Minako had been in a relationship in the late summer and early autumn of 2009. Even though his heart was a hard one to open up…Minako was able to pierce that shell.

And then he was shot, and was comatose…with no hope of recovering from it.

…

And then he did…and was hurt that Minako had moved on to Sanada Akihiko, Shinjiro (and Mitsuru's) best friend. He wouldn't speak to her, and when he did…he tried to be civil…but it wouldn't last and so Shinji, having graduated from culinary school, accepted the offer to be head chef at a Ryokan in Inaba.

However…due to circumstances that would not be explainable to the average person. Irony struck Minako as she lapsed into a coma that was not by natural means. Crazier circumstances got her out of this supernatural coma…but the irony didn't stop there as Minako discovered that Akihiko and Takeba Yukari… Minako's best friend...had ended up consoling each other…Worse…they had tried to hide this relationship from her and pretended everything was status quo…

Minako was still hurting from this revelation and betrayal, borne out of guilt and a desire to not hurt her so soon after her recovery. As if what happened after Minako woke was supposed to have been enough.

"Mina…They meant well. And besides, everyone else is worried about you since…"

"I became a 'Purple Rose'?" Minako said. In Minako's hurt she hooked up with two guys and a girl. Instead of getting a pizza place, she ended up in an adult video. What was worse, Iori Junpei, another friend of Minako's had seen it and alerted the others out of concern…Even though he took several verbal lashings for seeing it in the first place.

"…" Mitsuru said.

"Look, Suru-chan…I know you mean well…but it's just not only recent events. It's the 'Ghosts of Christmases Past', too. And the only thing that got me through the horror was Toto…" Minako said.

"Toto" was Minako's fraternal twin brother Arisato Minato. He would not be attending due to…

Mitsuru didn't want to think about it. "I have your gift for you now if you'd like…" She said.

"Suru-chan…You didn't have to…" Minako said.

"Yes…I did…" She handed Minako a box.

"Hopefully it's a Pizza…" Minako said with some excitement. Then when she opened it after getting a nod it was okay from Mitsuru. "A passport?" Minako wondered.

"Yes…I'm wishing after the New Year to go on vacation to the Alps…and would like you to join me…"

"…" Minako said.

"Mina? What's wrong…I would have thought…Well…" Mitsuru was not one who was usually at a loss for words unless she was asked something and the only choices were admit things or say "…" in an implied admission. She usually chose the latter.

"You thought I needed to get away from Port Island…Maybe… Maybe…I should just lose myself in the world…" Minako said.

"Mina…" Mitsuru said. She tried kissing Minako, but Minako only allowed it for a second before pulling away. "No?" Mitsuru asked.

"It's not…It's not you…It's just…I don't know…I don't know after what happened if I should…I should…" Minako said. Then she ran into their room and shut the door.

"Damn…" Mitsuru said. "She's worried about being hurt again…"

Mitsuru shook her head. Minako needed to just get away from here…away from the harsh memories…That would help her.

Mitsuru decided to go downstairs to the party.

Minako was crying. _Suru-chan means well…But I know she's hurting too after what Toto did…and 'm making it worse for her and I don't mean to…but I'm in so much pain…_

Minako had been hurt by the fact that even though she and Minato were in that coma for nearly 8 months…her friends had apparently moved on in their lives. She felt like an appendage. Just…something to be there. They were kind and friendly…but there was so much awkwardness.

In addition, her brother had said that if Mina did not leave with him in a huff…then they weren't siblings any more. Minato had been offended by the means that had been used to bring the twins back and had thought Mina would have too…

…

Big mistake. She thought she should live life again. Minato was scared of what their friend Mochizuki Ryoji had told them. That if the twins died again, they would be lost in an Abyss. He was scared and let his fear cloud his judgment.

Minato was crushed by Minako's taking a stand…and told everyone off…including Mitsuru…which hurt her terribly.

Somehow…in all of this…the two women became closer together…until in a moment of vulnerability…

Minako removed her dress and slipped into bed after draping it over a chair.

She looked at the news for a bit…mostly news in America about some boy who got himself arrested for using sai.

_Wonder if he had an aunt and uncle who used to be kind, loving people…and then let their green eyes turn them into monsters… Starving him…hitting him and taking pictures of it…putting out their cigarettes in him…Could that have happened to him, too?_

…

_Could someone even tried to have killed him 3 years ago by exposure to cold inside a home…?_

…

_I'm so glad that uniformed cop saw me eating out of the garbage in the neighborhood._

…

_What was his name…?_

…

_Tohru…?_

…

_Doesn't matter…_

…

_I miss Toto…_

…

_I miss my parents… _She sobbed as she turned off the TV._ I miss them most of all…_

…

_I wonder if that boy would have had parents. Or if he would have stuck up for me…_

The answer never came as Minako fell asleep.

_**A/N: Song-True Story-Persona 4:The Animation**_


	4. Act 1: Blue Christmas 4

**A/N: This one is a little longer, but I felt it made sense for it to be this long, considering I'm doing this under an "Every Story is Someone's First" Vibe.**

"'**Twas the Year Before, On Christmas"  
>Act 1-Blue Christmas<br>Chapter 4**

_Tatsumi Textiles_

"Kanji! Where have you been?!" Tatsumi Keiko said to her son.

"Out…" He muttered, not looking at her.

"Kanji…have you been fighting again?"

"Didn't start it…" He muttered.

She grabbed his face and turned it. She clenched her jaw. "Kanji…"

His right eye was black and swollen. "I said I didn't start it, ya old bat!"

"Kanji! What have I told you about talking to me like that?!"

"Sorry…" He muttered…though his tone was more contrite.

"I'm sorry, Detective Dojima…" Keiko said to the Detective who brought her son home. "Did he cause trouble at the Station?"

"Yelled at me a few times…I think he was upset about what happened…" Dojima Ryotaro said, bemused.

"…Yeah…your pal Imura haulin' my ass in again without knowin' the facts…"

"Kanji…I'll deal with you in a moment…so keep silent…" Keiko said.

Kanji sighed.

"Is he right about Imura…? This IS the fifth arrest by him of my son that's had to be cancelled."

"Deputy Chief Itomori won't restrict Imura because Chief Watanabe won't sign off on it…And Ken feels terrible…But what can we do if the concept of IA are a couple of cops who breeze in from Tokyo every so often…?"

"One of these days Imura's going to make a big mistake and Kanji will be caught up in it and then…"

"Don't worry…as long as Kanji isn't about to go off the rails then he's fine…he…just needs to watch the attitude." Then Dojima said, "I have to be going now, dropping Kanji off was on my way home…Merry Christmas…"

"Merry Christmas, cop…" Kanji muttered.

Dojima looked perturbed. But then he nodded and left.

"Kanji!" Keiko said.

"Look, Dude may be a nice guy, but he's a frickin' badge and you know how all cops protect their own…"

"Kanji…in the time I've known Detective Dojima, he's been honest as the day is long. He and Deputy Chief Itomori can't do anything about Imura if the circumstances are debatable."

"It wasn't debatable, MA! I was walkin' home from Junes…mindin' my own business when that Cycle gang… The 'Spider Riders' show up and decide to be the latest guy to take down Tatsumi Kanji. I tell them to go fu…ind another patsy, 'cause I wasn't gonna fight any guys that were so clever they had to steal a TV show title. The leader gets off his bike an' starts hittin' me. He does it three times…and everyone sees it…but since they're scared of the bikers…they say I started it…even though he was the one who pissed me off. I fought back…The other bikers don't lay a finger on me until it was a large group and I got an elbow in my eye. But then Imura and other cops show up. Dude doesn't even take the bikers into custody. Says I started the thing …an' like I said…the witnesses are too scared to contradict him…The bikers go free…even though the uniformed cops are acting like Imura's lost his mind…But then I get busted…because I was looking for Biker ass to kick…"

"Kanji…"

"His words…not mine, Ma…"

"Kanji…I know you meant well fighting off those first set of bikers…but you keep getting into…"

Kanji looked hurt and horrified. "What? You actually think I did start it?!"

"Kanji…you've always been honest…so I believe you…but…"

"But…I can't believe this…those guys came after me…I was mindin' my own business and these pansies came after me. Normally I would have just kicked their asses right then and there, but I knew you were expectin' me home and so did what you asked…the 'diplomatic' approach…and they thought I was scared shitless and wanted to fight me…Didn't start it…but had no choice."

"But Kanji…you now have a reputation…what would your father say?"

At that point…Kanji smoldered and just said huskily. "Wouldn't know, Ma? He ain't gonna answer that question…"

Then Kanji walked off.

Keiko sighed. "He misses his father every day…"

Kanji went into his room and shut the door. He was upset…bad enough the Christmas gift he got his Ma was ruined by the punks, but Imura and even his MA didn't believe it wasn't his fault.

His Pa would have…His Pa would have made sure that Kanji was listened to. Even would have set that Punk-ass Imura straight.

But his Pa had died. Kanji was young when it happened and he felt guilty that he didn't get to say good bye.

Kanji had sat down and looked at the item he had started to knit before he had thought of the idea of getting something better for his Ma. To make up for hm causin' her trouble.

Instead he got in worse trouble.

He looked at what he had…He didn't think it was gonna be enough to knit for her. Maybe if he'd been smart he would have stayed home and finished it.

He was watching the TV while he attempted to do more, even if it was fruitless. The International News was talking about some punk kid who was planning to use sai to knock over banks and was fighting with cops and got one hurt…or some bullshit like that.

"Punk…I may be pissed at cops, but at least I know fightin' 'em is a losin' battle…" Kanji muttered.

_I don't wanna know a guy like that, a stupid punk who would wanna hurt people. It takes an Idiot to wanna act all cool like that…I'd rather have a few Senpai I could have watchin' my back…_

…

_That is…if any Senpai would want to…Last thing I need is for them to say, "We ain't got use for you, Tatsumi…"_

_I know a few girls who've said that. What do I have ta do…have an exaggerated French accent? Buncha punk girls…_

…

_At least guys are more honest…_

…

_Like Dad…He was honest to me…If he knew I was messin' up, he'd tell me…no beatin' around the bush._

Kanji gave up on the knitting in disgust as it seemed to mock him by being reluctant on purpose and got in his bed.

_Stupid punk-ass material… Didn't used to give me shit. I'd like to kick its ass, but I can't…because it doesn't have an ass…_

…

_I wish Dad was here…_

…

_I miss him…Not that I'd tell Ma that…But I miss him…_

Kanji's eyes became heavy and he soon fell asleep.

_Dojima Residence_

"Well, I see you finally got that little sod Kanji home…" Yamata Elizabeth said to Ryotaro.

"He's not little and I was thinking of more graphic words than sod to describe him…" Dojima said. He kissed her cheek. "Thanks for looking after Nanako…"

"Yes…well we've had a fun time together, haven't we Nanako-chan?"

"Yes, Lizbeth…" Nanako said.

"Nanako-chan…I've told you…It's Elizabeth…Say it with me… "E-iiz-a-beth…"

"E-liz-a-beth…Lizbeth!" Nanako happily said.

Ryotaro laughed until he noticed Elizabeth's odd, bemused look. "Liz?"

"Sorry…Had a feeling of Déjà vu…You know, you cheeky girl…I bet you know how to really pronounce my name and you're having fun with me…"

Nanako giggled.

Ryotaro noticed she whispered the name "Shinobu" with a wistful sadness for a moment. "Nanako…I hate to ruin you and Elizabeth watching the Christmas special…but could you turn on the news…?"

Nanako, having the remote next to her on the coffee table, changed the channel.

"I don't know why you'd want to watch the news…Inaba hasn't been on Eye News since that Chicken laid an egg with three yolks…and that was 4 years ago…"

"You mean OTHER than the random report about the Amagi Inn…"

"...ive Adachi testified about the various pieces of evidence that tied the victim's death to the defendant. Testimony will resume after the New Year with Detective Adachi expected to be cross-examined."

"Dreadful case…" Elizabeth remarked.

"The defendant's gone out of his way to be a suspect…but I don't know…I still get the sense of sloppy police work…somewhere…"

"Your sixth sense…?" Elizabeth asked.

"'Detective's Intuition…'" Ryotaro clarified with a chuckle.

"In international News today, out of Salt Lake City, Utah… Several Teenagers were arrested in what appeared to be a conspiracy to commit robberies with Japanese weapons. The youths had gathered at a local martial arts studio where he supplied the weapons. Apparently when an arrested was attempted there was a shot fired and police had to subdue who they believe was the ringleader…We have just received word that he has been arraigned and will be tried as an adult as he has a juvenile record and has apparently escalated…however…police are not releasing the name at this time as there are several outstanding legal issues…"

"Which means that they don't want to get sued. What kind of punk would want to do that…?"

"Obviously some sad, pathetic berk who was trying to impress some girls…Japanese weapons…obviously he saw too many movies with martial arts and other rubbish along those lines."

"I would never allow a kid like that into my home…That would be trouble for Nanako…"

"But Dad…Are you sure he'd be a bad boy…?" Nanako asked.

Both adults looked at her. "Well, Nanako…A boy like that would not be a good person…He would be one of those punks I arrest."

"What if he was just a sad boy who wanted to be happy…What if he was in the wrong place at the wrong time…?"

"Like kanji?" Elizabeth whispered. Then her cell phone rang. "Who is this now?" She looked at it and frowned. "Why would Daniel be calling me?"

"Daniel?" Ryotaro asked with a bemused chuckle. "Some guy you have on the side?"

"Waldo…" She said.

"Oh…Say hello to him for me…" Ryotaro said. He hadn't spoken to Daniel in a few years.

"Yes…is there a spare room I can…"

"Upstairs…across from the bathroom…not using it for anything… probably never will…"

"Arigato…" Elizabeth said. She went upstairs and into the room. She was surprised by how spare it was. _"Hello, Dan?"_ She said in English.

"_Actually, Liz, it's Becky…"_ This was Daniel's wife Rebecca.

"_Becky…why are you calling on Dan's phone…is there something wrong?"_ Daniel was an old friend of hers…ever since fate brought Elizabeth and the Waldos together.

"_Not with Dan…But…well…It's Charles…"_ Rebecca said.

"_What's happened?! Is he hurt?! Please, for God's sake, Becky…Tell me my Shinobu isn't dead!"_

A sigh came from Rebecca…but the sound of it seemed to relieve Elizabeth. _"No…he's alive…it's just…well...He's been arrested…"_

"_Arrested…for what…?"_

"_Charles was studying Martial Arts at this dojo downtown to build himself up physically and emotionally and he must have chosen the worst dojo ever, because he apparently had some sai…"_

"_HE'S THE ONE THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT ON THE BLOODY TELLY?!" Elizabeth shouted._

"_I'm now deaf, thank you…So…You did see the report on CNN..." _Rebecca said, sighing.

"_Sod that, Becky! He's on Eye News…Minus his name…"_

"_Eye News?"_ Rebecca asked.

"_Yes! It's Japan's answer to CNN or Fox/SKY_ as a 24-hour news Channel!"

Rebecca gasped._ "Dear God…Daniel's gonna have even worse kittens…It's bad enough it went National…but International…? Dan's rep's gonna take a big hit…"_

"_Becky…I didn't think that's all you cared about…"_ She said, scolding her friend.

There was silence on the other end. Rebecca knew she'd been told off properly. _"I'm sorry…we're…we're just upset with him. We love him…But …Well…Already we're being treated like the plague in the neighborhood…Dan's so upset…He's going to let Charles sit in jail…"_

"_WHY?!" Elizabeth asked. "Dan would deprive the lad of even Christmas?! Why?"_

Rebecca paused. _"Liz…remember when you once told me how the concept of 'face'…how a person's image generates respect and how a person insulted or dishonored can cause that respect to fade…even lead to derision…?"_

Elizabeth paused. Daniel was a leading freelance criminal profiler…If one were to mock Daniel for not being able to see the warning signs in his own son…

"_I…I understand…But I ask…Both you and Dan…Please don't hate the lad forever…he has had a hard life…"_

Rebecca paused again. _"As his biological mother, you're allowed to make those wishes…But Dan listening to them…_"

Elizabeth clenched her jaw_. "I understand…Please be well, from both me and Ryotaro…"_

"_Thank you…"_ Rebecca said. And then she ended the call, but Elizabeth could tell she was about to sob loudly.

"_Bloody hell…"_ Elizabeth said. Her biological son was in trouble and she couldn't help him…She wanted to…but she had a practice and also helped out in the hospital ER. She had regular patients that had appointments and needs that she couldn't foist on another doctor…

Not for the first time, she wished she had never given up Charles for adoption…But when she was in Med school in London…she couldn't afford to be a single parent. So she gave up her little Thomas Shinobu Yamata…He was adopted…but she never knew who adopted him.

Irony struck when she was out of med school and a 3-year-old came in…dying from a bad mixture of medications. She recognized it was her son…He was Charles Waldo now…

But she could not let him die…She refused to let him die. She had thought he had a stroke…but soon things pointed to an aneurysm and she realized with horror that in trying to save her son's life…she was going to kill him.

So she took the shock paddles and shocked him when he had gone into cardiac arrest. Shocked him more than even an adult should take…

But when she prayed to God in front of his parents to save her son before the third, maximum shock…She knew he would be saved.

And so he was…She explained herself to his parents. Grateful that he was alive, they would forgive almost anything.

_Bloody Hospital Administration…Saw things differently…_ She reflected.

The administration had thought that she had been negligent, both in disclosing her relationship to the patient and in diagnosing Charles.

She had tried to plead her case. When Logic failed she used a lashing British Tongue… (Where one really wouldn't want to be on the receiving side…) She blamed the administration for not have a competent chief resident available because he was doing the head nurse, who was supposed to be seeing the assistant head of Cardiology regularly. She badgered them about how she had been shouted down and had thought aneurysm initially, but then started treating for a stroke.

In the end, it was to no avail… Her license got pulled and she took 2 years to fight for it back. In the meantime…she had visitation to see her son…but she and his adoptive parents agreed he was too young to know he had two Mummies… so she was just a family friend.

She felt so guilty, though. Watching him move a little slower than the other kids. She knew it had been her fault. Mentally his development had been what it was before his visit to the ER…but physically…that did some damage. He lost some upper body strength, had tremors when he wrote… Life was hard for him.

But he always had a smile on his face…She hadn't seen him since he was 5 so she wondered what happened to him since then…

Especially now…

"Liz?" Ryotaro's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Yes, Ryo…" She said.

"You were shouting a couple of times…is everything all right?"

Her heart sank…she had fallen in love with Ryotaro…despite her first marriage to Morooka Kinshiro breaking down and her vow to never be with anyone ever again. But she hadn't told him yet of her relationship to Charles. She didn't know how…

She opened the door… "Liz…what's wrong?"

"I... believe Ryo, that we should not judge the lad on that news story TOO harshly…" She said.

He arched an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"That was Dan's wife Rebecca…seems their son Charles is the one on the news…"

Dojima took a moment to digest that. "He is? But Dan told me he was a good kid…Just had problems relating to people…what happened…?"

"I don't bloody know…Rebecca told me that Charles was trying to build himself through Martial Arts and may have just chosen the wrong bloody Dojo."

"Why would they call you, though?" Ryotaro asked.

Elizabeth sighed. She didn't want to answer this question, but that was one of the reasons she loved Ryotaro…because even if he interrogated his friends and loved ones…there was a subtle difference that allowed people to realize he cared because he was concerned. So she knew if she didn't give an answer he'd keep going. "He was a patient of mine whose life I saved when he was 3…but I nearly lost my license to some bloody hospital politics. I took two years fighting for that damned thing back and so…in order to fill my time between preparing my case and showing up for the required appearances with the State of Utah. I offered to take care of him for Dan and Rebecca as an informal Nanny. After all, saving his life left him slightly reduced in physical capacity and so…"

"Who better to determine the result of the damage than the person who caused the damage?" Ryotaro sighed. "I'm sure though there's more to it than that…"

She nodded. "He was always a sweet boy…that was another reason…his happiness then was infectious…"

"Just like Nanako…or Chisato…" He said trailing off.

"OI! I've treaded on wounded territory, haven't I? Well, cheer up, Ryo…It's Christmas…"

"What about Charles?" Ryotaro asked.

"I suspect they'll keep me apprised…As much as I want to…I can't drop everything for the next three weeks for anything outside the region…"

"Oh…I see…" Dojima said.

"I said outside the region…You and I still have things to do this evening…" She said with a smirk, even though she was blushing.

"Oh…" Ryotaro said, blushing as well…

"Besides…I think Rebecca told me everything in length because they didn't want me to be there…I guess they were afraid Dan's rep taking a hit would reflect negatively on me…"

"I should still call him…" Ryotaro said as they had gone back downstairs and sat on the couch.

"…Give Dan a few days…mostly he's a nice man, but there are times when you push his patience past the limits…you're just pouring salt."

"That would be a waste of salt…" Nanako said.

And then she was confused when both adults laughed.

But she didn't notice the troubled look in Elizabeth's eyes.

_Later…_

Ryotaro was watching Elizabeth sleep. The two of them had shared their gifts with each other. She had given him a charcoal-gray dress shirt to wear. He thought it would go with the red tie Chisato gave him on their first Christmas as a married couple.

He had given her a nice pair of earrings. He wanted to get her a silver necklace with a heart locket…but that was something more a boy gave a girl…And even though Elizabeth had done her best to make him feel like a boy again…He wanted to treat her as an adult.

After putting Nanako to bed, they put each other to bed and made love. It wasn't their first time together, by any stretch…but it sure felt like it.

Ryotaro sighed. He felt that something was being held back by Liz. After all, he joked about "Detective's Intuition" But that was really a half-joke. Anytime his instincts told him a suspect was lying or something was up… he was usually right.

And yet…His intuition couldn't make him find out who killed Chisato…

It has been what, two years, three? Ryotaro didn't know…The days kind of blended together so it could have been 50 that had passed for all he knew. But he wished he could find that perp who ran Chisato down…then ran away…

The anger of that person's cowardice gnawed at Ryotaro… He would find that man…

He realized he was losing control…and he didn't want to…

_Though is this what Dan's feeling like right now…that something happened out of his control and has unmanned him…it sounded to me from what Liz said that Charles is going to have to stay in jail…I know Dan's got some money…but not…if what they said on the news was correct…$750,000 US… He's good for maybe a third of that if he scraped some stuff together…And maybe this is for Charles's protection too…If someone I cared about did that to me…I wouldn't want to face them either…for fear of getting angry and losing control._

…

_Would I lose control with the perp who ran away from Chisato…?_

…

_Or even if someone were to take Liz or Nanako away…?_

…

_I certainly wish I would never have to face that…_

…

_Please Chisato…don't take my relationship with Liz as a sign I don't love you…_

…

_I miss you, Sato-chan…_

In Nanako's room, she lay awake. Not to hear Santa Claus, who Sensei told her about…but her Dad. To see if he was crying like he did most other nights after Mom died.

Instead she heard the strange noises that both he and Lizbeth made. She asked her friends what they were. Ryo-kun said it sounded like they were rehearsing for a play, while Mai-chan said that it sounded like her parents when they have "six". Nanako was confused, because she didn't think people could have numbers like people could have couches from Junes.

…

_I miss Mom…Why did she leave me behind? Was I a bad girl…? I couldn't go to heaven with her…?_ Nanako thought. _Why doesn't Dad mention Mom? IS he sad too? Is he angry at her for leaving, too? Is he sad?_

…

_I like Lizbeth…but I want my Mom for Christmas…_

…

_Mom…_

Sleep claimed both Dojimas.


	5. Act 1: Blue Christmas 5

**A/N: Double post tonight as I've decided to finish up this setup...and then totally shift directions...just to shake things up... :). You'll see what I mean...**

'**Twas the Year Before on Christmas  
>Act 1-Blue Christmas<br>Chapter 5**

_Somewhere_

"I'm beary lonely…I wish I had some friends…I've been bear-ren all this time…" Teddie said.

All Teddie knew was that he was a bear. He didn't know when or how long… It made his head hurt. All he knew was that there was fog that his eyes had adjusted to since they were lenses and the Shadows. He didn't know anything else.

He just walked around this large spacious place. He thought about calling it a "bear cave" but he had this odd feeling that he'd be sued…and then he wondered why he would think that because he didn't know what that meant.

The Shadows seemed to be aware of stuff that went on in other worlds. He didn't dare get too close bearcause they would tear his fur…but he listened all the same. Shadows weren't beary quiet after all.

Teddie had listened to one Shadow tell another about a "Christmas" that humans were celebrating. Teddie knew about humans. He had heard lots of things from the Shadows on the subject. But Teddie was confused by the Shadows saying that the humans celebrated "peace", "love", "hope", "good will", and after "9 PM" they celebrated something called "Six." Teddie was confused bearcause the Shadows knew what they were talking about, but Teddie didn't.

Teddie heard other things…about gifts, and spending time with something called "family" and "fur-ends"… Teddie listened but didn't understand why the Shadows thought it was a bad thing to have a family and fur-ends and Christmas…But Teddie did understand that the Shadows were rawr-pressed emotions from the Humans… So maybe the Shadows only thought it was bad.

Teddie walked off bearfore the Shadows noticed him. He was good about that. He had heard them saying a word called "ninja" one day and thought he made a good one.

Teddie went back to his "den" The Shadows fur some reason would not come here. Teddie was glad.

But then that meant that no one came to visit him.

While he had known of mostly negative Shadows…he knew of a few positive ones…but they were few and far beartween.

Teddie wished he had family and fur-ends to be with…especially on this Christmas thing…

Teddie bearcame tired. He didn't think it was time to hibearnate…but then again he didn't know what time it was… fur all he knew it could be that 9 PM…but he knew he wouldn't get any "six"…

…

As his lids bearcame so heavy he couldn't keep them up he found he was making a wish…

_I wish Teddie could be with family and fur-ends for Christmas…_

…

_And "six" at "9PM"…_

_Hokkaido Police Department_

"Burning the Midnight Oil, Naoto-kun?" came the voice of Detective Felicia Reyes.

Shirogane Naoto blinked as she thought she had been alone. "Oh! I'm sorry. Yes… I've been trying to figure the ins and outs of this financial scheme…there seems to be a lot of loose ends that need to be tied down…"

"I thought Lieutenant Bukenchi told you to put it to rest until after tomorrow."

Naoto looked blandly at the American Detective, who had spent the last 3 years here in Hokkaido on an exchange program with the Chicago PD. "He did…but then a few things nagged at me…"

"Like a certain TV detective?" Felicia asked with a grin.

"I would look terrible in a rumpled raincoat…" Naoto sighed. "As it is…I felt writing what was bothering me down would be helpful when I came in on Sunday…And then next thing I knew…I was looking at more things."

Felicia looked at Naoto. "Are you sure you don't have anywhere to go for Christmas?"

"I…uh…No…My Grampa is in Paris, consulting with the police there about a string of wine poisonings…His secretary would be with him…so If I were to take the train home to Inaba…Manse Shirogane would be empty."

"Then would you care to join me for a late dinner…?" The tone in Reyes's voice sounded a little suggestive.

"Ummm…No thank you…I believe I have tired myself out for this evening…I appreciate the invitation…Really…Good evening…" Naoto said with a blush as she put on her jacket and bowed.

"Damn…came on too strong again…" Reyes was heard to say.

Once Naoto was on the elevator and it went down a floor and she pressed stop. "Thank God! The only thing more annoying than being treated like a child is being treated like a consenting adult…"

Naoto had no time for callow affairs. She felt that they weren't even WORTH her time. But that was the price she had to pay.

For dressing up like a boy.

Naoto started the elevator again after she caught her breath. Felicia was nice and Naoto actually liked talking to her…but she felt that Naoto wasn't Reyes's type of boy.

Naoto managed to walk briskly enough until she caught a taxi that took her to her hotel. She said, "Merry Christmas" and went in the hotel.

It had been lightly snowing out, so when she had reached her room she took off her outer clothes and then once she was assured that she had privacy, she took of the bandages she used as bindings on her breasts.

"SHIT! How did Mulan do this?" Naoto said…somewhat as a wry joke, since Mulan was not real in the way Disney Pictures portrayed her.

Naoto took a few deep breaths. Satisfied there was no bruising on her chest, she put on a loose T-shirt and boxer shorts. Men's boxer shorts to be sure.

She turned on the TV and was gnawing on some pocky snacks she had packed with her. She knew should have something a little more healthful…something with a balance to it…but she figured she could make up for it at breakfast.

Naoto watched the news. There was an interesting item out of Salt Lake City, Utah about a boy being arrested for being the ringleader in a gang that was set to participate in multiple robberies and heists, using weapons that were typically used for Martial Arts.

_Interesting... An American boy attempting to commit crimes with those kinds of weapons. It makes me wonder if he had any parental figures…_She thought.

And then she frowned. She realized she wasn't one to talk about a lack of parental figures. She had Grampa and Yakushiji, the secretary…but she hadn't seen her parents since she was 5. Their having died in a tragedy in London.

Naoto had wanted to follow in their footsteps as legendary consulting detectives…but she had found that consulting detectives were usually male and hard-boiled. In Japan…a female private eye was a joke…Something the gaijin would admire in their works of fiction…but had little use in Japan's male-dominated society.

So…she decided…she would become a male. She would dress up as one… (Even though the bindings that gave her a flat-appearing chest was hell on her voluptuous breasts and so she had to learn to breathe and adjust her posture so the bindings didn't loosen and suddenly everyone knew her secret…) She would walk like one, talk like one…She even went so far as to write like one.

But she knew that this charade was only as convincing as she played it…so she studied theatre as much as detective work. Hours upon hours of film…read…no, devoured…books on the subject of acting…as well as hard-boiled detective fiction.

In the end, she was quite convincing as a he…although she rued the fact it was a very nubile he.

She mentally dismissed it and turned her thoughts back to the boy on the news.

_I doubt I could trust such a boy with that kind of secret… That I'm a girl…I feel he'd be the type to "blow it" for me and reveal that I'm a girl._

_I wonder what my parents would have thought of me doing this… The Shirogane name alone allowed Mom to break the barriers of gender roles…but she had Dad with her. And after they died…the barriers came back anew…making it difficult for me._

…

_It probably would have been easier to just be point woman for a fictional male Detective…But that would be fraud and was done better on American TV in the 1980's, anyway…_

…

_Would they have been proud of my 15 successes thus far…or would they have tried to stop me…?_

…

_That's the question I wish so much to ask them…_

…

_Christmas was the last day I saw them…_

…

_Why did you leave me?_

…

_Why?_

The answer never came as sleep claimed her.


	6. Prelude

**A/N: Now the REAL STORY...BEGINS!**

"'**Twas the Year Before on Christmas"  
>Prelude<strong>

_Everywhere_

For some it was a nap borne for exhaustion, both emotional and physical. For others it was because it was night…

…

But all of them slept and dreamed…

…

And their hearts contained their wishes…

…

Wishes that normally would not be granted…

…

However…It was Christmas…In terms of the season… And for those in Japan, it would soon be the day…

…

And Christmas…It has a magic too it…

_Somewhere_

"These wishes are very curious…" A voice said. "I have never understood why the human heart desires something most on this day… I must explore it…"

"Would that be wise?" Another voice said.

The person who had spoken first was, to their surprise, surprised. They did not expect another individual to reach the plane of existence they were on, much less able to sneak up on them. "Greetings, may I inquire who you are and what you are doing here?"

"Do you not know who I am?" The second voice said.

The first was one dressed in Blue, their outfit that marked them as an Attendant. "My apologies. I cannot tell who you are…You have made yourself obstructed from view via a blurring effect and you are distorting your voice…I suspect to disguise yourself…Why would you do this?"

"Nothing bad, I promise you. I just do not wish to be made known…There are those who I am…trying to avoid…"

"If your intentions are not ill…then why do you hide? Should you not face things honorably…? As a man, assuming you are one?"

The blurred figure chuckled. "When I was your age, I was much like you. Things seemed so simple…But then one day things changed for me… I saw something I should not have…"

"And what is that?" The One in Blue said.

"The Truth…" The Blurred Being said sadly. "I saw the Truth…And it saddened me...I…could not follow the path I was destined for…So I moved away from it…Forged my own…"

"Is that why you wish to block me? Stop me from understanding the Humans and their wishes?"

The Blurred Being looked at the One in Blue. And even though the One in Blue could still not make out the face of their visitor…They could somehow tell they were being scrutinized…

…

It did not feel pleasant.

"I haven't tried to block you…I just asked if what you plan is wise?"

"I must understand why the Humans make these wishes…especially this time of year… I have not encountered them yet…"

"You will…" the Blurred Being said, almost with an odd…fondness.

"Now you claim to know my future?" the One in Blue asked skeptically.

"It is inevitable. You are One Who Wields Power…are you not...?"

The One in Blue swallowed hard. They felt this stranger knew them quite well. "Yes…"

"You had planned entering their minds…did you not?"

"I…Yes I had…"

"Hasn't your Master forbidden such actions…?"

The One in Blue wasn't appreciating this conversation at all. However, they were merely troubled. They had learned well the lesson of patience… "You…you know my Master…?"

"Answer the question," The blurred being firmly but politely said.

The One in Blue was surprised by their visitor's abruptness…but figured that if this Being wished ill…he would have done something by now. "He…has not forbidden such actions…merely frowns upon them…"

Now the Blurred Being seemed happier, "Ah…Perhaps there is a better way…"

"And what way is that?" the One in Blue said.

The Blurred Being told him.

The One in Blue was stunned. They didn't expect this suggestion…What was suggested was possible…and there were few restrictions on it…at least in the format proposed to him.

"There always are…possibilities…" The Blurred Being said after a time.

"And you promise that the Humans will not be harmed?"

"Harm…is a relative term…They may not like what they experience…But if by death or bodily injury you mean harm…There should be little chance of that…"

"Any other consequences I should know about?" The One in Blue asked.

"I cannot think of any…" The Blurred Being said in an almost off-hand manner.

"Very well…" The One in Blue said. "However if this is a trick…"

"This is no trick…This is you trying to grant their wishes…You have my word…" The Blurred Being said candidly.

And so after nodding, the One in Blue opened a book. It was a large and heavy tome. And yet some pages did not even have words.

But energy flowed out from them…

And then the energy…invisible to the mortal eye…impacted on the sleeping individuals. Even the bear in the other land.

"It is done…Now would you tell me why you…?"

They turned around. The Blurred Being was gone.

The One in Blue shook their head. "There was something familiar about him…but what…?" Then he shrugged and looked in his Tome. There were now several different images on the pages…

"I must observe this closely…" The One in Blue said.


	7. Act 2: If Wishes Were Horses 1

**A/N: Let's see how these wishes have come out, Shall we?**

'**Twas the Year Before on Christmas  
>Act 2-If Wishes Were Horses<br>Chapter 1**

**_Charles_**

"Wake up, sleepyhead," came a young woman's voice.

"What?" Charles said. The voice sounded Japanese…but even though he knew some…he was disoriented.

"Merry Christmas, Charles-chan…" The young woman said. She had black hair and a red hairband that she had finished putting on.

"Sor…Sorry?" He said. He was confused. He thought he was still in the jail cell. Maybe he was dreaming.

He pinched his arm. "OW!" He said and realized he didn't wake up.

The woman looked at him and said with a roll of her eyes in English, _"I knew you drank too much again, Mr. Waldo-Amagi…Not that your performance was affected by it…"_

"_What?" _ He said.

"_You're always disoriented when you have a hangover…here…let me get you some coffee…"_

"_Umm…Okay?"_ He said.

She left the room and despite his disorientation, he admired the way she walked in that evening Yukata.

He recognized himself in being in some Japanese Inn…Maybe a ryokan…but how did he get here?

But then he saw a cell phone next to him…and somehow…knew it was his…

He opened it…and as he looked at the pictures…a wave of disorientation came again…but then the memories flooded back.

There was a picture of him in High School with she who was in the room earlier. There was a picture of him and her at a Summer Festival with him wearing a Navy Blue yukata…With her and him…and a few other friends at Graduation…though it seemed that 3 of them were Kouhai…junior classmen.

There was a picture with her and him at their wedding…Him holding their twin Children…

…

He had tears in his eyes…

"Charles…are you okay?" The woman, his wife said.

"Yukiko…" He said…with all the love he had for her and everything with the world felt right… "I'm sorry…I did have a little too much last night…I dreamt it was before we met…In Utah… While Siobhan was in the hospital and I was in jail. I was low then…I must have dreamed that."

"You must have…" She said, stroking his hair.

He drank the coffee she offered him slowly at first…then finished the mug and put it to the side.

Then he grabbed her. "Charles-chan!" she said, laughing.

"How long until Ryotaro and Annie wake up?" He said, referring to the Children, Charles Ryotaro and Sakura Anne.

"I think another 40 minutes…but it's Christmas…They might wake up before…"

He undid the obi knot of her Yukata and said, "Tough…there was one gift I wanted to unwrap before they woke up…"

"Chuck! Our friends are coming over…we have to give time for the kids before the others show up…" She said as he opened her yukata.

"Just once?" He asked.

She shrugged with a giggle and shrugged out of the yukata. "Oh hell, I wanted one more time this morning with you anyway…" She kissed him and he removed her hairband.

They were kissing and caressing…but just when they were about to connect with each other…

…

"Merry Christmas, Amagi-Waldo Yukiko…" He said in formal Japanese.

"_Merry Christmas, Charles Waldo-Amagi…"_ She said in flawless English.

They connected with each other and spent a while with one another.

**_Yukiko_**

Yukiko was in bed. Sick again. She didn't know why she was sick. She just knew she was sick enough that Chie couldn't come over and play or even stay overnight like she always did for Christmas.

Yukiko was upset. She had had this weird dream she was a teenager and had felt lonely because she didn't have a prince. She believed she would have had a prince at least visit her.

"I'll never have a prince…" She said out loud.

"And what would you do with a prince if you had one. Ask him to whisk you away to some imaginary fairytale land?" came a strong, elderly voice.

"Ah-choo!" Yukiko said. "Gramma… Why don't you believe in princes?" Her Grandmother Amagi Atsuko thought princes were tales of fantasies and didn't want Yukiko to hear about them.

"I want my grandchild's feet on the ground, not her head in the clouds, Mariko!" Her Grandmother had told Her Mother. But Her Mom refused to listen. She replied, "Don't take away her childhood, Esteemed Mother. She has the illnesses doing it well enough on their own…"

"Then what's a little more…?" The arguments would go in circles from there and her Father would always notice Yukiko and put her back into her room and reassured her that the two women loved each other…they were just two stubborn mules...

"But Daddy, they're people…" Yukiko said in response. "If they were mules then they'd carry people around…"

"You are my daughter…" Her father had said, chuckling, which always confused Yukiko…

"Because, Yuki-chan. Princes may sound nice…but they are actually selfish. They pretend to be nice boys or men…and then they hurt you…and the ones you love. Her Grandmother sat down.

"Gramma, why are you here...? Normally, you stay away from me when I'm sick…"

"I'm too old to worry about such things, Yuki-chan…"

"You're not too old…Too old would be that man who brings the milk here…"

Her grandmother chuckled. "He's 7 years younger than me…he just looks older…"

"?" Yukiko said. Then after a pause. "Gramma…isn't there any boy or man who would be a prince and actually mean it?"

"You mean the honest, heroic type? Probably…But those are very few, Yuki-chan…"

Yukiko looked disappointed. "Why does it mean so much for you to have a prince?" Her grandmother continued.

"Because…I don't think any boy here would like me for me…"

"Already the boys are making you sick and yet they are chasing you…What preschool are you going to Yuki-chan?"

"I'm in Kindergarten!" Yukiko protested.

"I know…I'm kidding…But you may be right about boys here…they see a pretty girl and want to like her…but sometimes they want it for things that would hurt the girl most."

"Gramma…I only want a boy to make me happy…I don't think any boy who doesn't care about me is a good boy…"

"Good for you…your mother was older than you when she learned that lesson…" Her grandmother had said sadly.

"So that means I'll never have a prince…?"

"Why a prince…why not a samurai?"

"Princes dress better…"

"Yuki-chan…You like too many Western things and the gods will strike you down for that…"

"Daddy said the gods are too busy to do that…otherwise they would do that to everybody…"

Atsuko chuckled and then she coughed harshly.

"Gramma! Please tell me my germs didn't hurt you that fast!"

"No, Yuki-chan…this is the cough of old age…not because of your cold…"

"Oh…Okay…" Yukiko looked fearful.

"Your father is a wise man…But one day he'll be old as me…" Atsuko said distantly.

"?" Yukiko said.

Atsuko noticed her granddaughter was still worried, so she smiled. "Would you like me to read you a story, Yuki-chan…?"

"Yes!" She said excitedly. And then her face fell. "Oh, but they're all about Princes…"

Atsuko chuckled and said, "I think I can live one day encouraging your fascination with princes…" She said. And then she started reading a book to Yukiko about a prince who had come from a faraway land, because he had been in trouble in his…and how he had defended her honor.

And a teenaged Yukiko watched. "Gramma? Why am I here? Why am I seeing this?"

If anyone heard her…they didn't care to answer.

**_Yosuke and Chie_**

"Wake up, Yosuke!" Chie said to him.

"Huh? Wha?" Yosuke said. He was disoriented and then he freaked out when he saw Chie. "AH! YOU'RE NAKED!"

"You didn't have a problem with me being naked last night…"

"You weren't naked…" He said, confused.

"Yes I was…duh! Yosuke…what's wrong with you…?"

Yosuke was disoriented. He hadn't expected Chie to be in bed with him…Not like this… "Uhh…I thought I fell asleep alone…"

"We both did LAST CHRISTMAS…You invited me here, remember?"

"I…I did?" He said.

"Yosuke…did you have too much nog…I mean Teddie was guzzling it down like no tomorrow…But that didn't mean you had to…"

"Teddie…?" He said. And then another wave of disorientation passed him before he said, "Oh, man…Kanji's gonna hate me…"

"Probably a little…" Chie said with a snicker.

"Sorry…I didn't know I was raiding my parent's alcoholic nog…I thought we were having the non-alcoholic one…Please tell me we didn't play the King's Game again…"

"Nope…made sure of that…" Chie got out of bed and put on Yosuke's baseball shirt. Then she got back in and gave him a kiss. "Merry Christmas…"

"Thanks…Merry Christmas to you too…" He said, returning the kiss. "It's been a hell of a year…"

She snuggled up to him. "I know…The murders have finally been solved… we got back together…we've discovered things about ourselves and have decided to change for the better…"

"We got each other into pageants…" He said ruefully.

She wagged a finger at him. "You deserved the cross dressing after you signed me up without permission…"

"You weren't the comic relief…honest…" He said seriously.

"I know…it took a bit for me to understand…that you did it because you loved me…but did you have to leave me last on the list of explanation as to why you picked me…"

He shrugged. "I'm sorry…It's because I thought I saved the best for last…" He said.

She chuckled. "You know…last year at this time…I was pining away for Daitaka…and he ended up cheating on me…before we even consummated. You were alone…trying to figure out a way to ask Saki-senpai out…"

"And we were both miserable…" He said.

"That's right…because we missed each other…" She said.

"Still…I wish we hadn't gone through such pain to get to here…me…losing Senpai…" Yosuke said.

"And me…with my miscarriage…" She interjected. "Yosuke-chan…Love sometimes hurts…but I think that we have the greatest gift of all this Christmas…

"And that is…?" He asked.

"Each other…" She said, kissing him.

They soon kissed and then started moving together…

They spent a long while together…

…

Oblivious that another Chie was watching…and crying… "Nobu-chan betrayed me…and I miscarried his child?!" She said with tears of horrified rage. How could he betray me?! How could I be a fool?!"

Chie did not receive an answer.


	8. Act 2: If Wishes Were Horses 2

'**Twas the Year Before on Christmas  
>Act 2-If Wishes Were Horses<br>Chapter 2**

**_James_**

_Somewhere, Somewhen_

James was walking through a dense fog. He didn't know what he was bloody doing. Where he was bloody walking.

He didn't know how he got into this predicament. He had fallen asleep after having an argument with his brother Daniel…but he didn't know how he got here.

He was looking around, trying to see something through the fog. He was better off just standing there.

But he decided to move forward. He knew there was a path… He just didn't know where it sodding led.

Then he bumped into another boy. "OW! Bloody Hell!" He said. Then he was brought up short by the fact that the other boy said it at the same time. "Who the hell are you?"

"Who the hell are you?" Responded the other lad at the same time.

James's blood ran cold. "William?" He asked, hoping the other answer was not what he thought it was.

"No…you're bloody William, I'm James…" The other lad responded.

"Funny…But I'm James…" James replied.

"If this is a bloody joke.., then I'm not laughing…" "James" said.

"Feeling's mutual…" James said. "Why the hell were you walking in my way…?"

"I wasn't…you were walking in my way…" "James" replied.

James sighed. "Look I don't believe you're me…"

"Second Verse, Same as the First," "James" replied.

"Well, at least we've got the same secret taste for the old stuff… All Right…A test then…If you're me…what number am I thinking of…

"69!" They said at the same time. "Bloody Hell!"

"Look, lad, Quo Vadis…?" James said.

"Damned if I know…I woke up in here."

"Same as I…Bugger…I wish William and My cousin Chuck were here…"

"Chuck…who's Chuck?"

"Eh? I thought you were me, lad…" James somehow knew his twin guns were holstered with him and he pulled them out.

"Steady, lad…" "James" said. He was pointing the exact same guns too. "I'm thinking we may be similar, but not the same…"

"Alternate Uni…?"

"Got it in one…You are as bright as me…"

They still pointed the guns. Making sure they did not take their eyes off the other as they moved in a clockwise circle. "Very well, if that's the way this whacked out dream wants to play it. Chuck's my American cousin…you got any foreign relatives?"

"My Uncle, Ryotaro Dojima…He's a detective."

"I see…My only Relative who's Japanese is my Aunt Liz Yamata…and she's just a half on the Japanese…" James said.

"Don't know any Liz Yamata…Are our parents dead?"

"Killed by Simone…" James started.

"Where she used arson…" "James" finished.

"So there are differences…but not many…"

They kept up their footwork. Just moving clockwise.

"Did you do it with Camille?" "James" asked.

"That bird from Cardiff? Yeah…Regretted it though," James said, shaking his head.

"My instincts told me right off she was bad news…seems your hormones are more intense, lad…"

The two of them kept up their Mexican stand-off… "Look, we don't have to fight…you go your way…I go mine…"

"You know as well as I do this isn't a dream…"

"Probably something in Daniel's brownie I ate, then… Tsk and he has a match coming up…"

"James" just looked at James. "Very well, I've kept track. Your way is behind me…my way is behind you…"

They both stopped. "Very well…Let's drop the guns slowly and holster them and have a hand shake…" James said.

"I couldn't agree with myself more…" "James" said with a chuckle.

Both of them holstered their guns and then shook hands and then went on their separate ways.

"Will we see each other again?" James asked.

"Doubtful…" "James" replied.

"Well…It was nice meeting me…you pot-induced hallucination…" James said.

"Pleasure was all mine," "James" answered.

James was walking when suddenly he heard a loud bang and then he felt something enter his back and exit his torso…

He turned around and saw James's gun, smoke coming from the barrel. "Oh yes, there was another difference…William isn't only my twin…I have another William in my head…And he doesn't like other James'" "James" said before he fired another shot. This one struck James in the gut and he fell backwards.

James landed on his back and heard his doppelganger run off…

"Well…I didn't trust my instincts…either with Camille or my other self…Lovely…"

James felt himself bleed out. As everything turned white he heard a voice.

"James…" A female voice said.

"?" James said.

"James…why are you lying there?" A male voice said.

James saw two forms that appeared to be walking toward him in the whiteness. He had a hard time seeing them at first.

But as they got closer…it was as if the fog wasn't there and the whiteness was all he could see.

They finally reached him. He recognized them, plain as day.

…

"Mum? Dad?" James asked.

**_Rise_**

_Marukyu Tofu_

Rise had woken up because nature called. But as she got up, she felt a little disoriented. This wasn't the stadium and it was all dark. Instead this seemed to be her Grandmother's place in Inaba.

She found some stairs and went down them.

"Merry Christmas, Little Pixie…" A male voice said.

"!" Rise gasped. Sitting at the able was an elderly man. He had a thin mustache but a very warm smile. He was wearing a red pullover sweater and pajama pants, but he seemed very happy to see Rise.

"Who…Who are you? Why are you here? Why am I here?"

"Have you forgotten so soon, Little Pixie?" The man said.

"Don't call me that!" She snapped

The man, for his part, looked amused rather than insulted. "Well, what would you like me to call you then? Rise-chan? Little One? I have many more in my back pocket."

"Who are you?" She asked again.

"Ah…you have forgotten me…" He said, the smile turning sadder. "Perhaps, you would remember if I sang you a song…"

"What…What song?"

He started singing softly and slowly.

**_Song- Sakura Sakura- Japanese Traditional_**

**Sakura, sakura  
>(Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms)<br>Noyama mo sato mo  
>(In fields and villages)<br>Mi-watasu kagiri  
>(As far as you can see)<br>Kasumi ka kumo ka  
>(Is it a mist, or is it clouds?)<br>Asahi ni niou  
>(Fragrant in the morning sun)<br>Sakura, sakura  
>(Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms)<br>Hana zakari  
>(Flowers in full bloom)<strong>

Rise had listened to him singing. But then she felt a stirring in her heart. And she joined in.

**Sakura, sakura  
>(Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms)<br>Yayoi no sora wa  
>(Across the spring sky)<br>Mi-watasu Kagiri  
>(As far as you can see)<br>Kasumi ka kumo ka  
>(Is it a mist, or is it clouds?)<br>Nioi zo izuru  
>(Fragrant in the air)<br>Izaya, izaya  
>(Come now, come now)<br>Mini Yukan!  
>(Let's look, at last!)<strong>

"I haven't…I haven't heard that…or sang that since…Since…" Rise said.

"Yes?" The man asked in amusement.

…

…

"Grampa?" Rise asked.

Despite the unusualness of the situation, seeing a man she had thought passed on, she hugged him and sobbed.

"You remember me now, Little Pixie…"

"Grampa…Why are you here?" Rise asked. "You…you passed away…"

"And so I did…I wanted to thank you for singing at my funeral what I just sang to you. I enjoyed that."

"But…this can't be real…this has to be a dream…"

"Or a Christmas wish come true, Little Pixie…"

"We should tell Gramma…" Rise said, but he held onto Rise's hand.

"I'm sorry, little one…we cannot…"

"Why not…?"

"Two reasons…one this would kill her and as much as I like heaven I doubt they're ready for a remarkable and marvelous woman such as her yet…"

"And…and the other…"

"Condition of your wish…I'm only meant to appear to you…"

"But why…Why here? Why not at the stadium?"

"Because Stadiums and Arenas, and venues are not your home…neither is that place where your parents are…You know that and it's saddened me to see from Heaven for me to know that. This has been your home…Here, In Inaba…"

"But Grampa… This is only temporary right…I just know that you'll leave again…"

"Yes…But we need to make the most of the time we have together…"

"I… I don't know what to say…I can't bear to lose you again…"

"Rise…"

"NO! I don't want you to leave!" She said, sobbing.

Rise's grandfather held her and muttered, "Well, Kujikawa Shingen…Now what do you do…?

Rise kept sobbing.

**_Yu_**

_Narukami Residence_

Yu woke up because nature was calling and so he went to the bathroom…but he was disoriented. For some reason this didn't feel like his apartment in Kyoto…It felt like the family home in Tokyo…but he wasn't sure because he was tired.

Until he realized that in Tokyo there were stairs and so he slightly tripped but managed to right himself.

"Tripping again, Yu…?" A female voice said. It sounded slightly older than him.

"What…What's going on?" He said.

"And you're sleepwalking a little, too… Tch. What am I gonna do with Yu…"

He recognized the voice. He didn't know how or why. But she was here.

"Ane…Ane-onee-chan?" He asked.

A girl came out of the kitchen. She was wearing a sleeping Yukata and her brown hair was down at her shoulders. But behind those piercing Silver eyes of hers was a wide smile. "Yes, Yu...UHF"

This last was because Yu was hugging the girl in front of him tightly. "It's you…It's you…" He said.

"Yu…? You're crying…" His sister said.

"You're here and you're alive!" He said. Yu was normally not one given to tears…or open emotion. He hadn't been like that since…

_Since when…? Ane-onee-chan has always been here…_ Yu thought.

"Alive? Of course I'm alive, Little Bro… Why wouldn't I be?"

Then Yu had felt dizzy for a second. Then he said, "I fell asleep and had a nightmare you were dead."

"From what, the Leukemia? That's been in remission for a long time. I'm always going to be around, Yu. I'm never going to leave you…"

"Please…Please don't…I missed you so much… In that dream…it was terrible…"

"Well…Then that means I'm not going to give you a present…since apparently you got yours already and it's not fair I get one and you two."

"What…you got me a gift? No fair…"

"Ah ah ah…that's what I'm saying…" His sister said.

"Aneko-chan… You don't know how awful I felt…It felt like you had been gone for 10 years…"

"You went to bed 3 hours ago…are you sure you didn't hit your head coming down the stairs?"

"No...We Narukami men are a hardy breed…" He smirked.

"Yes…but you're not good with the romance… C'mon…Mom and Dad will be home soon and we have to have Christmas together…as a family."

"Why do you get to be in charge…? I've managed to take care of myself!"

She grinned and smacked him upside the forehead with her palm. "Because I'm 3 years older, dummy…Now let's make breakfast for them because they're going to be exhausted."

"You don't think they'll doze off during breakfast…?"

"They'd better not… I work hard at the pancakes, the least they can do is eat them…"

Yu looked out the Window. It was snowing, but he felt happy. It was going to be a good Christmas.

Though he looked up…and saw a blonde woman in a blue outfit. She was carrying a book and frowning…

"Who's that woman?" Yu asked.

"What woman?" Aneko asked.

"That one. The blond in the blue outfit…She looked like an attendant of some kind…"

"I don't see anything…" Aneko said.

Yu looked again. His sister was right…the woman was gone…as if she had never been there…

"That's odd…" He said. "I could have sworn…"

"Are you sure it wasn't another girlfriend…I mean you already have three, playa…"

"Don't be hatin'…" He replied with a smirk.

The two continued to make breakfast and talked to each other. Aneko arched an eyebrow a few times because Yu was telling her about his weird dream.

But Yu didn't care about the funny looks he was receiving…He was with his "Big Sis" now…

Outside the Woman in Blue looked on… She felt terrible. But things weren't supposed to happen this way.

"They weren't supposed to happen like this…Damn you, my dear sibling…What have you done?"


	9. Act 2: If Wishes Were Horses 3

**A/N: Because it's that lovely time of year at my work where I have overtime mandated, my update schedule for this fic is going to become less frequent after Tuesday's posting. Just advising you now and I apologize for disappointing you guys. Thank you for your patience...especially you...the one guy in the third row with the tomatoes. You know who you are.**

'**Twas the Year Before on Christmas  
>Act 2-If Wishes Were Horses<br>Chapter 3**

**_Minako_**

_Somewhere, Somewhen_

"Mina…Mina…Wake up…" Minato's voice said.

"Toto…?" She asked. She saw her brother in his pajamas.

"Wake up, Mina…It's Christmas Morning," Minato said.

"It is? Already? I missed him…"

"Missed who…?" Minato asked.

"Duh! Santa Claus!" Minako said as if Minato was the biggest dummy in the world.

"Santa Claus doesn't exist, Dummy!" Minato said.

"You're the dummy!" She said.

"I know you are, but what am I?"

"A dummy…" She said.

"I know you are, but what am I?"

"A dummy..."

"I know you are, but what am I?"

"A dummy..."

"Takes one to know one..." She said.

"Hey..." He said.

The twins then heard a noise.

"Who is that?" Minako asked. "Who made that noise?"

"Maybe it was a burglar…" Minato said.

"OR… Maybe it is Santa Claus!" Minako said excitedly. Then she got out of bed.

"Mina!" Minato said, chasing after her.

She ran down the stairs excitedly.

"Mina!"

She reached the bottom of the stairs.

She made a noise of disappointment when she saw there was a tree and presents...but no Santa Claus.

"Well…It seems that someone was so excited for Christmas that they scared Santa off…" A man said.

"Santa doesn't like little kids bother him when he works," An amused woman's voice said. "Does he, Makoto?"

Her husband chuckled and said, "No…He doesn't, Hamuko…"

"But, Daddy…I wanted to see him…" Minako said.

"He's not real…" Minato groaned.

Makoto looked at his son with his red eyes and said, "Minato…Santa Claus is real…He exists…"

Hamuko swept back her dark blue hair and said, "Your father's right…Santa Claus gave us two wonderful gifts…"

"But Mom…If you mean us…We were born in November…"

"Yes…But on Christmas 1992 you two finally recovered from the illnesses that you had received shortly after you were born," Hamuko told Minato.

"Yes…Our Christmas Miracle…" Makoto said.

"Mommy…Does Santa come here every year because he… _'did you a solid?'_ Minako asked.

Both parents laughed at Minako's use of English. "Silly goose. He does this for all the little boys and girls…because he wants to make them happy."

"He sure does…because you know why?" Hamuko asked.

"Why?" Minato and Minako asked.

"Because their smiling faces is the greatest gift he is given by them…"

"So…Does Christmas start yet?" Minato asked after a pause.

"Takes after someone I know…" Hamuko said to Makoto with a smirk.

"Who? Me?" Makoto said. Then he said gravely. "Well…we could start Christmas…or we could ask you kids to sleep a little longer…"

Both kids looked stunned and disappointed.

"…But I think you won't be able to sleep, so…Yes…Christmas…God help us… can start at 4 in the morning this year…"

"YAY!" said the Arisato twins.

The family opened gifts. While the twins received toys and games, and electronics, both of them gave their parents nice cards and ceramic sculptures they had made for school…

But the family enjoyed their time together…

…

Unaware that an 18-year-old Minako was watching. "Dad…Mommy… It's Mina…Don't you see me…can't you hear me…?"

She sobbed.

"Toto…?" She asked…but her Brother with 12 years trimmed off his age didn't hear her.

"Mina…Can you hear me…?" She asked

Even her younger self was oblivious.

Minako sobbed…she didn't know why she was here… She missed her parents and Toto so much…

Then she felt a hand on her. She jumped, was turned around, and then she gasped.

"You should not be here…" The woman with blonde hair said.

**_Kanji_**

_Tatsumi Textiles_

Kanji had woken up a few moments before. Nature had called and so he had taken care of that. He went downstairs to apologize to his Ma…but she may have gone to bed.

Kanji sighed. He didn't mean to be a jackass, but sometimes he felt he was bristling…no chafing under his Ma. So he lashed out. He tried not to get in trouble…but sometimes, trouble followed him…

"Why am I such a pain in the ass?" Kanji said aloud.

"That's what I always asked myself," An amused voice said.

"AH!" Kanji said. "Who the hell are you?!"

The man sitting on the couch looked bemused, but he sternly said. "What did I tell you about using such language…especially around your mother…?"

"No way…You can't be here…You're…"

"Dead?" The man snickered. "Of course I am…But let's just say I crawled out of a grave to let you know what I thought about your progress in becoming a man…"

"This has gotta be a dream and this is my guilt talking back to me…It's like in that Anime made by those guys who made 'Time Marshals'…'I Walk with Guilt…' That's the only explanation…"

"OR…I could be your Christmas Wish coming true… Seeing me…"

"You ain't real…You can't be…"

"Why not? Just because I died in the hospital doesn't mean that I can't come back if you make a Christmas wish…"

"No…It ain't possible…I saw you in a white Kimono at the funeral. Tatsumi Hiroshi's dead. You're dead!"

"And yet…why are we having this argument."

Kanji looked at the man for a moment. He was stunned and didn't know what to do.

"Umm…can I…can I touch you…?" Kanji asked, blushing for some odd reason.

"Umm…Kanji…I don't think…"

"Can I just poke ya with my finger?"

"If it's not too hard. I may be dead, but I still bruise easily…"

Kanji poked the man, first gently on the face. Then on the chest.

Kanji looked at his finger. Then he looked at the man in shock…Then he looked at his finger again…Then he looked at the man again.

"Esteemed Father!" Kanji bowed in respect, though still not entirely believing it.

"My…such respect to an elder, at last…and all it took was for me to rise from my ashes…"

"Maybe the Buddhist priest screwed up the Sutra with your alternate name…That's probably it…" Kanji said, rationalizing how his Pa could be there.

"No…that part of the sutra he got dead on…he just ruined the rest of it… Kanji…we need to talk…"

"…Look, Dad…Can't we just watch something together on the TV…?"

"Kanji-kun…we NEED to talk…Man-to-man…"Hiroshi said.

Kanji didn't know what to say.

**_Nanako and Ryotaro_**

_Dojima Residence_

Dojima had woken up with a start.

"Ryo…what's wrong?" A woman asked.

"What? What's going on? Why are you here?" He asked her.

"Why are you asking me that…? I'm supposed to be here…" She said. "Did you have a little more than what you were supposed to have to drink again?" She asked, bemused.

Dojima was surprised…Then a wave of disorientation passed over him and he took the woman into his arms. "I'm sorry, Chisato…I guess I did…"

"Well…no harm done…" Chisato said with a smile. Her brown hair and brown eyes looked nice in the sunlight creeping in through the window, even though the blinds were down.

"So…How soon until Nanako…?" Ryotaro asked.

"5…4…3…2…1…" Chisato counted down.

"Mom! Dad! It's Christmas…aren't you gonna get up?" Nanako's voice came from the other side of the door.

"Well, I suppose that we should have expected that…She's done that for the last 3 years…"

"I wonder if she'll do it again next year," Chisato replied to her husband.

"Would make for an interesting 2011…" He said with a smirk. Then he sobered.

"What is it?" Chisato said, sitting down on the bed.

"You know…ever since that near-fatal accident…I'm glad I realized what was important. You. Nanako… "

"DAD!" Nanako said. "MOM!"

They both chuckled and said, "In a moment, Nanako…" Then Ryotaro continued. "I still want to protect this town. To keep it safe. But I also want to keep you two safe. You two are my world…"

"What happened to your dream of being the 'greatest, super-awesome cop' in Inaba…?" Chisato had said, referring to what Nanako had called Ryotaro.

"Well," he chuckled. "It doesn't mean much aiming for that if I don't have you two…keeping my compass pointing straight."

"And we always make sure it's pointed straight…" She said right before she kissed him.

"God, what would I do without you?" Ryotaro said.

"Let us pray that never happens…" Chisato said.

They heard hard knocking on their door. They looked at each other and laughed.

They then opened the door and Nanako was standing with her arms folded. She looked annoyed. "You two are missing Christmas!" She said.

"Sorry, Nanako…We would make sure to never miss it…" Chisato said.

"You two can be busy later…" Nanako said.

Both of her parents looked at each other as if the other was responsible for her knowing what went on when the door was shut. Neither would admit they were responsible.

They sat down in the living room, giving each other gifts.

The household was happy and filled with love.


	10. Act 2: If Wishes Were Horses 4

'**Twas the Year Before on Christmas  
>Act 2-If Wishes Were Horses<br>Chapter 4**

**_Elizabeth_**

_Somewhere, Somewhen_

"I may have given you up, but I've never given up on you…" Elizabeth muttered in her sleep.

She was troubled. Tossing and turning. She didn't know why she was feeling this way.

"Mom? MOM!" She heard a voice say.

She woke up with a start and saw a young man with brown hair in front of her. He looked to be 16.

"Mom…are you okay? You were screaming in your sleep."

She was disoriented. She didn't know what was going on. When her head cleared… "Shi-Shinobu…" she asked

"Yeah…?" He asked. For a moment she thought his London accent was odd. But then when another bit of dizziness quickly passed by…it seemed right with her.

"Sorry, lad…I'm just…well, a sodding nightmare takes a lot out of me…"

"What was your nightmare?"

"I dreamt that you died protecting people who were your friends."

"Oh…one of those dreams where despite my being a bloody hero, Mum's reluctant to lose her firstborn…" He said with a smirk.

"Don't be cheeky…" She said wagging her finger and smirking herself, though hers was more rueful.

"I'm sorry…" He kissed his Mom on the forehead. "I'd better get back into bed before…"

"Before your girlfriend realizes you're missing and you're dressed?"

"Cassidy's an insatiable girl…" He shrugged. "I thought you would object to us finally…er…"

"Shagging?" She asked, grinning.

"Aye…" He said.

"As long as you are more careful than I was when I got pregnant with you…then I don't object."

Elizabeth couldn't believe her son Thomas Shinobu Yamata had grown up into a fine young man. Even though she had thought he was maturing a little too soon in terms of his relationship with his girlfriend, but he was more responsible than she had been, so she trusted him.

"Tom!" A girl's voice came from the hallway.

"Shite!" Shinobu said and then hid under Elizabeth's bed.

Elizabeth chuckled, and then a raven-haired beauty only a few months older than Shinobu came in, wearing a blue terry-cloth robe. "Ma'am…? Where's Tom hiding…?"

"I can't tell you, Cass…He…probably… swore me to secrecy…" However she looked amused and her eyes briefly pointed down to under the bed.

Cassidy smiled knowingly, then sounding convincing in her disappointment. "Oh…I'm sorry…I guess I didn't mean much after last night to him…I guess I'll date James now…"

"Sod James…he's already got a girlfriend or two…Try Will…"

"Oh yes!" Cassidy laughed. "William would probably be bloody magnificent!"

"The hell he would!" Shinobu said, crawling out from under the bed.

"16 and hiding under your mum's bed…I can't believe you…I don't sleep with little kids…besides being against the law…it's also tacky…" Cassidy said.

"Sorry… I just heard Mom and wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Well, since she is…Give her the gift, you daft mule…"

"What gift…?" Cassidy took a wrapped box out of her robe's pocket. "There it is…" He said sheepishly.

"What is this?" Elizabeth asked.

"Merry Christmas," Shinobu said.

"What is it, though?" she asked.

"You'll like it…Cassidy helped me pick it out…" Shinobu said.

"That's not something William would have confessed to his mum…" Cassidy teased.

Shinobu shot her a look of mock displeasure. Then he kissed Cassidy on the lips.

Elizabeth opened it. "Shinobu!" She said, amazed and touched.

He had gotten her a gold bracelet.

"Mom…I know it was a hard choice keeping me, even though you couldn't afford it. I don't think I would have blamed you in giving me up…But you were stubborn…and decided to keep going with just you and I …and then your practice boomed and we're living in this nice cottage in the countryside…"

"It's a 3 bedroom flat in London…" Cassidy corrected.

"Whatever…Anyway…That gift was to thank you…for not giving up on me…"

Elizabeth looked touched. "Shinobu…I don't know what to say…Wait…yes I do…He was going to get me tickets to the football match between Manchester United and Liverpool again, wasn't he…?"

"I didn't have enough for this last year…" Shinobu protested.

"No…He was going to get you a bronze one…I told him it had to be gold…" Cassidy said.

"Well…Thank you both…"

The two teenagers smiled at her, as she smiled back.

"Oh bloody hell…letting you two shag is my gift to Shinobu…so will you sod off and sod each other…?" She said.

The teens laughed. "I think that can be arranged…" Cassidy said, kissing Shinobu and then leading him by the hand back to his room.

"Kids today…" She said. She put on the bracelet and admired it.

For a moment she looked outside the window and saw a young man with blond hair dressed in blue.

"Bloody hell!" She said.

She looked outside. She saw no one there.

For a moment she felt like Shinobu shouldn't be with her in London…

…

But then she shrugged. "Probably just a remnant of that daft dream…Last thing I need is a spanner in the works…"

**_Teddie_**

Teddie was enjoying himself with a bunch of people that called themselves "family" and "fur-ends" at some party. He didn't know how he got there. He just knew he was happy.

But soon it would be "9PM"…

And he couldn't wait to have the "six"

**_Naoto?_**

_Shirogane Estate_

"Rumiko-chan…" a man's voice said.

"Umm…?" The girl stirred in her bed.

"Rumiko-chan…It's time to wake up…" The voice said again.

"Leave me 'lone, Yakushiji-san…haven't I suffered enough?" Rumiko said.

"Please, Rumiko-chan, your Grandfather would be most distressed if I didn't wake you…"

"Very well…" Rumiko said. She opened her eyes and looked out the Window. "Snow…"

"Indeed…it is Christmas, and your Grandfather wanted me to wake you so that the celebration would start."

"Indeed…" Rumiko said. Her long blue hair was down and she put a hand to her face as she yawned. "Excuse me… It is quite rude of me to yawn like that."

"No harm done…I shall leave you to put on your yukata…"

"Very good…I thank you…"

Rumiko climbed out of bed once Yakushiji had left. The 15-year-old girl sighed. She wasn't going to enjoy Christmas this year either. In the years since London…she knew that she would be without her parents on Christmas…

She got out of bed and was about to put on her Yukata when she noticed her bare body in the mirror. She was pleased with her physique. Her long hair and plump yet pert breasts gave her a femininity that she wouldn't trade for the world. She smiled.

…

And then for a moment she had noticed in her reflection behind her…

She turned around.

There was no one there…but she had gasped all the same.

This was annoying. She loved a mystery…almost as much as playing the piano…but she was not amused.

_Why did I see me dressed in boy's clothes? I mean, I can understand the beanie cap…I have one myself…but the boys clothes and the short haircut…that won't do for one of the youngest professional Piano players in Japan…_

Rumiko finished putting her Yukata on and left the room, shaking her head. Though for some reason…she felt cold.

Once the door was shut, Naoto had breathed a sigh of relief. While she did not appear to be seen or heard by conventional means…She could still cast a reflection.

"Curious…" She said. She pulled out her pocket tape recorder that she took with her on trips. She had her notebook…but she decided to pull out the recorder just the same…then for some reason realized it should be odd that she did so.

"Most curious…" She then pressed "record." "December 25… I am back at the Shirogane Estate…but I do not know how I got here or why I'm seeing what I'm seeing. I've just seen a girl who looks like me, but apparently has retained her femininity…at least in terms of outward appearance. I also see that there are lesser quantities of my detective novels…and a greater quantity of awards, Music CDs, and songbooks. Fortunately she still has the same taste in Manga and Western comics and fiction…she just appears to have zigged, where I have zagged on a couple of places."

"But I do not know why I am here…I could presume I have been drugged and put in some byzantine scheme by one of Grampa's many or my 3 enemies…although in my case, they only declared themselves as such because their ego could not handle the fact a mere teenager…to them…could defeat them so easily."

"Instead, I must postulate…whether drugged or not…I may have been shunted to an alternate reality. Though for what purpose I do not know…Nor can I fathom how it is possible…However…I am no Dana Scully or Temperance Brennan …I do believe there are unnatural phenomena that a person may be subject to…As long as the dead don't rise from the grave…" She shivered in terror over that. "Zombies would be the death of me…"

"With that said…as long as I avoid any mirrors or other reflective surfaces…I should be fine to explore the rest of the Estate… Though I must take care… Lest I make a mistake and I end up creating a temporal paradox…"

Naoto stopped the recorder and exited Rumiko's room.

Then she turned on the recorder again. "Addendum…My counterpart seems to have a shapely ass…Must research to see if mine is shapely enough to give me away…"

She turned it off again.

She waked down the hall. She wasn't sure if anyone heard her missives, so she decided to mentally note things.

It appeared the further she got away from her counterpart's room that things looked less and less geared to a professional piano player and more geared for detectives…

_If this is an alternate reality…why did my counterpart eschew Detective work…? I have reflected on my choices since my parents' deaths…and concluded that all of them would have led me to where I am…in terms of career…today… I am not aware of any event in that intervening time frame that would make me decide otherwise…_

Remembering the Christmases past at the estate, Naoto knew that the unwrapping of gifts were typically in the Drawing Room. Naoto decided to explore there.

She kept her head down as she passed several mirrors on her way down the stairs.

She reached the drawing room. She moved out of range of any mirrors.

She saw herself finish opening a gift from her Grandfather.

"Arigato, Grampa, for this songbook of Franz Liszt," she saw her counterpart say.

"I figured you were ready enough to practice these pieces…It appears that your repertoire has improved."

"Arigato…But…" Rumiko looked down.

"What is it?" Her Grandfather said. "Oh…I know…"

"Indeed…I have a concert in two days and they will not be able to attend…" She said sadly.

"This is true…" her grandfather said.

_Ah…so it appears she has lost both parents as well,_ Naoto observed. _It's a tragedy…_

"…normally…" HE said.

_?_

"What…?" Rumiko said.

"Merry Christmas, Rumi-chan…" Another man's voice said.

…

A voice that made Naoto's blood turn cold…

"You're here!" Rumiko said excitedly.

"You think we would miss this…your biggest concert to date?" A woman said.

Naoto recognized them. The man was British…the woman was Japanese. But Naoto recognized them as if it had been yesterday since she had seen them.

…

Tears spilled down her cheeks as she saw them.

"Mommy? Daddy?" She said.


End file.
